On the periphery
by journeyman07
Summary: RononKeller preship..some moments of realisation. Ronon and Jennifer watch a movie together and then weird stuff happens that tests Jennifer to the max. Now complete at last!
1. Chapter 1

Jennifer Keller watched from the periphery as Sheppard's team finally returned. All those weeks with no contact when no one knew what had happened to them and when Colonel Carter was just beginning to surrender to the fact that they might be gone forever. The repeated search teams kept on returning with no news and everyone had become increasingly downcast. Worry had grown to desperation and then into a deep sadness. It had cast itself like a grey blanket across the whole base.

Now she watched the hugs, the whoops and the chatter in the gateroom wistfully. The relief and excitement was palpable in the air everywhere. She knew she had professional reasons to be there – in case a medical team was needed – but personal ones? Jennifer didn't feel she had any right to those somehow.

After a moment's pause to collect herself she descended the gateroom steps, medical kit in hand. The four members of the A-team looked thinner, a little ragged around the edges and were clearly exhausted. And Sheppard and McKay were sporting untidy beards. Apart from that Jennifer could spot no discernible medical conditions that needed immediate treatment. They would have to undergo full physical examinations later at Colonel Carter's instructions, but for now it seemed she was not needed. Not needed - the words weighed heavily on her.

'Hey doc,' she looked up in surprise at Ronon's quiet greeting and saw that the Satedan smiled slightly down at her. More with his eyes than anything else.

She'd noticed this before about Ronon Dex, like she'd also noticed how he said little, but missed nothing and somehow understood what motivated people at a deep level. She'd seen how he always read their body language with unfailing accuracy, so that what was said verbally became irrelevant. She'd noticed how he had taken to swinging daily by the infirmary (when he wasn't off-world) to keep her company or to make sure she went and actually had something to eat. She'd seen that he slept very little (like her) as they seemed to meet regularly as if by chance in the mess hall.

She had grown to like him. He was so much more than his fierce exterior suggested. She'd even daydreamed it might have been the beginning of something, however unlikely that would have seemed to everyone. She'd missed him more than she cared to admit. Even to herself.

'Hey, Ronon,' was all she could manage suddenly feeling shy. Her face heated under his gaze.

'Can we all meet for an initial debrief in one hour?' Carter was saying to the whole team, 'I know you're all tired, but I think the sooner the better?'

Sheppard was nodding tiredly, as if appreciating the sense of this one last need for focus and energy.

The others also made to leave; there was just time for a shower and a change of clothes.

Ronon handed Jennifer a bag.

'Can you take that?' he asked, shouldering a larger one himself. She took it with no question and fell silently into step beside him. After a few strides Ronon adjusted his own load, deliberately took her slim hand carefully in his larger one and continued walking. No words were said.

It was a small gesture but it spoke volumes about the possibilities for some kind of a future between them.

'I'm glad you're back,' Jennifer found enough courage to say, her heart flipping weirdly inside her chest.

'Me too,' he said in a low voice, 'gotta lot to tell you,'

'Plenty of time,' she reassured him softly and squeezed the hand that held hers, wondering at her daring.

'Yeah, maybe,' Ronon murmured, 'do you still like that chocolate drink stuff?'

She smiled up at him.

'I do,'

'Good, later then? In the mess hall?' they had reached the door to his quarters. Jennifer nodded and turned to go but Ronon kept hold of her hand, his strong fingers warm and insistent.

'Jennifer?' she turned at this – he hardly ever used her first name.

'I…uh…um…I thought of you a lot…out there,' he said awkwardly, looking embarrassed at this confession. Strange to see Ronon Dex looking uncomfortable in this way.

'I missed you too,' Jennifer replied simply, 'see you later, Ronon.'

Her heart sang all the way back to her own quarters, feeling like that periphery had just widened beyond her at last.


	2. Chapter 2

Sometime later Jennifer opened the door to her quarters when the chime sounded and stared in surprise.

'I thought we were meeting in the mess hall,' she murmured to Ronon, who stood in the doorway, hands in pockets looking ever so slightly uncomfortable again. Shy almost, she realised.

'Yeah, I know, but…' he began, 'thought we could walk there…together…you know,'

She smiled up at him then, touched by this, 'OK, that'd be good,'

Hands still in his pockets, Ronon stuck out one elbow for her to link with. Jennifer accepted the gesture warmly, slipping one hand through the proffered elbow quietly enjoying the moment of delighted pleasure this gave her.

'So what happened out there?' she asked, as they headed towards the mess hall. She felt, rather than heard Ronon sigh briefly, 'if you'd rather not talk about it?' she then offered immediately, confused, thinking he had wanted to explain the A-team's long absence.

'No, it's not that…' the Satedan began, 'it's that…well…none of us really know what happened.'

'What do you remember?' Jennifer prompted, puzzled.

'I remember a Wraith ship destroying the planet we were on, being captured and then…' Ronon paused, struggling to piece together the fragmented pictures in his mind, 'we were back on the planet, just the team, that is – no Wraith, the…the gate vanished and so we were stuck…for six weeks,'

'No gate?' Jennifer turned to him, in astonishment, then recalled the unexplained difficulties Colonel Carter had come up against in trying to dial into that particular gate after they didn't return.

'It reappeared yesterday, that's why we're back,' Ronon explained, shrugging, 'I know how that sounds,'

'What did they do to you on that Wraith ship?' Jennifer's mind started to work overtime, her concern growing rapidly.

'Don't know, I've checked myself over, can't see anything,' Ronon replied registering her concern.

'I think I'd like to bring forward those full medicals Col Carter requested for your team,' Jennifer reached for her ear piece, her professional thought processes taking over.

'I feel fine, doc.' Ronon insisted, 'apart from having to spend six weeks with McKay, I feel just fine,'

Jennifer allowed herself a look of amusement at that, reflected back in the tall Satedan's green eyes, yet she could still feel her medical instincts sounding alarm bells inside.

'Indulge me, Ronon,' she insisted in return, 'please,'

He looked down at her and saw that Dr Keller was not going to move on this one. Besides, Ronon liked the way she always held her ground over things that mattered to her. She did it quietly with no loud dramatic overtures (like McKay, he thought wryly) but instead with a huge determination. He privately thought that Colonel Carter and the rest of his team underestimated Jennifer Keller's steely strength of mind; well, it seemed to him they were about to find out about that. Ronon also admitted to himself that the way she resolutely gazed up at him emphasised her elfin beauty and that was really hard to refuse.

'OK,' he conceded and shrugged, 'you still owe me a chocolate drink though, doc.'

'Of course,' Jennifer agreed and grinned at this reminder.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** Can't believe I haven't written anything on this in over a year! So...this is set right back after the end of Season 3, but maybe just before Season 4 started – I think.

It's for **rhaddict **who recently asked me to continue with it, which I do so with affection and gratitude for all the encouragement she's given me over 2008 with this fan fic malarkey!

**N.B.** Well and truly unbeta-ed (she's busy with another piece of mine) and written in an hour flat – so probably riddled with errors – all my own!

* * *

The medical examination yielded no information whatsoever, much to Jennifer's frustration. Ronon sat and followed all her instructions compliantly, enjoying her feather-light touch working its way over his skin. If he was not mistaken, the delicate blush that suffused her cheeks gave away that she was also enjoying their closeness. Or at least was affected by it.

'You have so many scars…' she murmured at one point, a frown developing.

'There were a lot of Wraith.' Ronon replied with a shrug. Was any more explanation necessary?

'This one needs stitching, let me…' Jennifer spotted one recent laceration on his torso that looked an angry red.

'OK.' he shifted obligingly so she could begin.

Again the feel her expert fingers was soothing and yet faintly exciting at the same time. Ronon relaxed and let the tiny shock waves caused by her touch wash over him deliciously. It had been so long since anyone, let alone a woman had touched him in anything like an intimate manner.

'How did you manage to get medical aid when you were a Runner?' Jennifer found herself asking. Someone had repaired many of his wounds using the very method she was undertaking right now. The evidence was right before her eyes.

There was no answer and she stole a quick look at the Satedan's face. A quizzical look of amusement had crept over his usually saturnine features.

'Oh…Oh, I'm sorry, Ronon, I shouldn't…' she stuttered, her face truly red now.

He chuckled.

'I did most of 'em myself, doc.'

She stared at him. Of course. How else? How else…if being near anyone for too long meant an imminent visit from a hunter Wraith. Even so, she couldn't begin to imagine how this must have been for Ronon.

'I got taught basic field medicine as part of my training,' he added as she continued to say nothing.

'OK.' Jennifer eventually replied and breathed out. 'Actually you've done a pretty good job on most of these…considering…'

Another low chuckle brought her back to the present and Jennifer concentrated on the task in hand. It was an odd jagged wound and she wondered what had caused such serrations. No wonder it was taking its time to settle and heal properly. She cut the ends to the thread carefully.

'All done' she announced, pleased with her handiwork nonetheless.

'Got time for that chocolate drink now?' Ronon suggested as he pulled his shirt over his head, careful not to dislodge her handiwork on his midrift.

Jennifer put her head to one side, as if she was thinking.

'OK,' she agreed and smiled. 'Can't do any of the other medicals until tomorrow now anyway, yes, let's go.'

'Good.'

The mess hall was quiet as they entered. Just a few visitors eating late night snacks, some reading while they did so, others playing chess or just talking so there was a low hum of restful conversation in the background.

'Chocolate,' Ronon stated and handed her a cup of the steaming liquid.

'Thank you.' She met his green eyes and smiled.

He gestured to a seat by the window and indicated she should go first. They sat and stared out at the ocean. It was cloaked in the inky blackness of the Lantean night, so all that could be seen was a still vast darkness beyond the twinkling lights of the city. Occasionally the sound of breaker washing over the east pier below could be heard, but that was all.

'Its beautiful.' Jennifer said softly, taking a liberal sip of her hot chocolate.

'It is.' Ronon nodded and sat back, relaxing. His body was still tired from the long mission and the wound on his torso still ached, but right now, sitting here, with Jennifer Keller…yes, it was good to be back.

'So what's being going on here?' he prompted her.

'What do you mean?' she arched an eyebrow in surprise, thinking this was also a cue that he didn't want to talk about the mission in any detail…not yet.

'You know…' Ronon smiled at her, 'what's happened while we've been gone?'

'Well…' Jennifer's brow furrowed as she thought, 'there's been several colds that I _think_ might have been some Pegasus strain of flu…' she glanced at Ronon, concerned that this might all seem incredibly banal and not what he wanted to hear at all.

'Yeah…?' he indicated she should continue – his eyes warm.

'…and then Laura and I had a chick-flick night.' Jennifer finished a few minutes later. Ronon nodded again absently. He hadn't really listened to what she'd been saying about the mysterious flu, or about Zelenka's inability to remember where he'd left a particular computer tablet…it was more that he'd let the soft lilt of her voice permeate his mind and body. It was comforting and sensual at the same time.

'Laura?' Ronon asked to show he had, of course, been listening.

'Lt Cadman?' Jennifer used her friend's formal title.

'Oh yeah, the explosives expert.' Ronon remembered the short redhead.

'That's her, well we watched several chick-flicks and…'

'Chick- flicks?' he interrupted at the curious term.

'Uh…movies for women..' Jennifer tried to explain, feeling a little embarrassed at this for some reason, 'usually with women as the main character…'

'OK, yeah.' Ronon understood. He'd sat through a few with John and Teyla. 'Movies…' he mused, 'I like your Earth movies.'

'You do?' Jennifer was surprised.

'Yeah,' he paused and looked at her, 'You wanna watch some with me? Tomorrow maybe?'

The hint of red that leapt to Jennifer Keller's cheeks told Ronon she was pleased at this invitation and he grinned.

'Yeah, OK, that'd be nice.' She consented, 'As long as it's not Mission Impossible, right?'

'Is there a movie called that?' Ronon asked, amused at the irony of the title considering how he'd just spent the last six weeks.

'There is.'

'I was thinking something more like that one about those people on a ship in space, with the crazy girl…'

'Serenity?' Jennifer couldn't believe he'd mentioned it, 'That's one of my all time favorites!'

'That's the one,' Ronon recognised the title, 'so, is it a date, doc?'

'Sure.' She beamed at him warmly.

Yes, it was good to be back.

* * *

**A/N:** Want more? Let me know!


	4. Chapter 4

Jennifer spent the best part of the next day alternating between being excited that Ronon had asked her on a date to being really quite nervous about the prospect. While he'd been away on the mission that seemed to last forever (especially when his team's whereabouts was unknown) she'd allowed herself to daydream about what things would be like if their friendship _did_ develop into something more. Right now she was embarrassed to find that she was caught up with thinking about what should she wear? Should she turn up a little late or a little early? Should she eat beforehand or not – _were _they having dinner at all in fact? She couldn't remember this being mentioned. Or was it?

In the end, none of this agonising mattered as the Satedan casually turned up in the infirmary at the end of her shift.

'Hey, Jennifer,' Ronon greeted her and drew up one of the stools in her office to sit down.

'Hi,' she replied shyly, unable to keep the smile off her face at his unannounced arrival.

'When do you finish?' he asked.

'Just got a few things to do, shouldn't be long.' She explained, thinking what an incredible shade of green his eyes were.

'OK, mind if I wait?'

Mind…._did she mind_? Was he _mad_? Of course she didn't _mind_ – in fact she was delighted at the suggestion. Nonetheless Jennifer composed herself and managed to say:

'That'd be fine.'

'Thought we could get something to eat first, then go watch the movie.' Ronon added grinning at her.

'That would also be fine,' Jennifer couldn't stop the radiant smile spreading across her face this time.

'Good.'

He watched her move quietly about the office, filing papers, tidying and logging some information on her computer. This seemed to remind Jennifer of something, as she paused and looked up at him.

'How's that stomach wound?'

Ronon's immediate reaction was to give his default dismissive and stoic reply, but this was Jennifer. He decided to be honest, and besides he'd noticed before how she instinctively knew when someone was fudging the truth about a medical condition.

'Yeah, it's still sore.'

'Hmmmm,' she looked at him curiously.

'What?'

'Well, I did Teyla and Colonel Sheppard's medicals today and noticed they each have a wound very similar.' Jennifer explained the puzzle.

'Yeah?' this drew Ronon's attention straight away.

'Yeah,' Jennifer nodded. 'Can you remember how you got it?'

Ronon shook his head. He really couldn't. The whole incident of them being captured by the Wraith was disturbingly vague in his memory…and he had a good memory…normally.

'No, no idea.'

'Odd.' She remarked, then outwardly shrugged yet resolved to keep all three of Atlantis' A-team closely monitored over the following days, 'Do you need any more painkiller?'

He gave her a look.

'Its not _that_ bad…'

'Ronon…' Jennifer gave him her own warning look.

'It's OK, really.' He reassured her, 'You ready to eat?'

'OK,' she shook her head, quite sure that the Satedan had developed an unnaturally high tolerance to pain during his years as a Runner.

It was a peaceful dinner date, where the talk was easy and relaxed once again. Ronon was glad he'd actually called it a _date_, because that's what he very much wanted it to be – and he was pretty sure Jennifer felt the same. There was something about the brightness of her smile and the way she kept hooking her hair behind one ear while she was talking that suggested to Ronon she was happy being here…like this…having dinner with him.

While listening to her describe Rodney McKay's sense of trauma at having to undergo a medical examination, he leaned across and helped himself to her bread roll.

'Hey!' Jennifer's eyes sparkled at him, 'That's mine!'

'You don't eat them.' Ronon told her and grinned, before tearing off a piece and shoving it into his mouth.

'I don't?' Jennifer looked at him carefully – he was right. 'What else don't I do, or _do,_ for that matter?'

'You always have blue jello and a fruit cup,' Ronon rose to the challenge, noticing the glint in her eye. 'You just have cereal for breakfast, you never drink that orange juice drink stuff - just water, you bite your bottom lip when you're thinking, you frown when Mckay talks to you…'

Jennifer laughed at that, 'That's because he talks so fast and _confuses_ me!'

Ronon grinned at that.

'And you listen hard to what Sheppard says and mostly agree with him, even when Dr Weir doesn't, you have more patience for Zelenka than most because you know he's a kind man…'

He trailed off. Jennifer was now blushing furiously at his shrewdly accurate observations. She looked down intently into her jello.

'And I make you go red…' Ronon murmured, lightly covering her hand with his, 'a lot.'

'You do.' She agreed, her voice barely audible, shooting him a shy glance before twirling a spoon around in her dish again.

Ronon stroked her fingers with one of his – her skin was so smooth, yet firm and strong. A healer's hands.

'C'mon, let's go watch this movie,' he said, changing the subject and removing his hand slowly.

'OK.' Jennifer met his eyes this time and smiled.

She wondered if they were going to his quarters to watch the movie – they certainly seemed to be headed in that direction. Jennifer had never seen inside Ronon's living space for more than a few minutes at a time. There had been the odd occasion when she'd arranged to pick him up from there before they'd gone on somewhere else. She remembered being surprised at how tidy he was (compared to her one glimpse of Rodney McKay's chaotic quarters) but then she'd also realised that the Satedan hadn't exactly come to Atlantis with suitcases of belongings in tow.

Jennifer looked a little wistful as Ronon led her past the hallway to his quarters and then on to a balcony not far beyond. She smiled with amusement: he clearly used this space as much as his assigned one. There was a small low-slung sofa obviously set up to view the panorama of the city and the ocean or, alternatively, the laptop carefully positioned on a table alongside. She also noted that Ronon had acquired a healthy collection of movies.

'Sheppard…' he indicated the pile, '…and McKay.'

'Really?'

'Yeah.' He chuckled, 'They lend me...uh...different movies, it's funny.'

Jennifer cast her eye over a pile with titles like _Die Hard, Predator, Aliens, Top Gun._

'Sheppard?' she pointed to these.

Ronon nodded and remarked dryly, 'He really likes that one called _Top Gun_.'

Jennifer grinned at this and then let her eye travel onto another pile that contained more diverse titles: _Minority Report, The Blues Brothers, Gladiator _and of course_, Serenity_.

'McKay?' she couldn't keep the note of surprise from her voice at the scientist's choice of movie.

'Yeah, they're his.' Ronon nodded, 'I prefer his mostly.'

'You do?' she couldn't help spluttering at this.

'Yeah, some of Sheppard's….' he paused, thinking, '…they're too…_real_. Movies are meant to be entertainment, right?'

'I get that.' Jennifer understood, thinking she'd never really liked _Predator_ much anyway, but certainly wouldn't want to watch it now - even after her relatively short stint out in the Pegasus Galaxy.

Ronon loaded the _Serenity_ DVD into the laptop and sat down, waiting for it to begin. As Jennifer joined him, he shuffled over to make room. However, there simply wasn't a lot of room, so Jennifer found herself pressed into Ronon's side by default.

'OK?' he murmured quietly, slipping one arm around her shoulders. It was almost as if Ronon was asking her permission for them to get this close.

'Fine.' She replied and snuggled up to the Satedan, her head on his chest and one of her hands coming to rest on his mid-rift. This was hardly the shy, reserved Jennifer Keller of old _but hell_, she thought, _who's gonna see us and…I like this. This is nice. Feels right._

_Serenity _was as absorbing, heart warming and heart breaking as it was every time she'd watched it. This time, however, it seemed particularly special to be enjoying this movie with Ronon's reassuring warmth beside her. _Does he know how he makes people feel safe? _She wondered at one point and stole a look at him. She smiled, realising that Ronon was sleeping, his face relaxed and smooth. Once he'd said that he had trouble sleeping due to all those years as a Runner, so Jennifer was careful not to disturb him now. There would be a chance to discuss the movie another time; she knew he'd seen it and that his favourite character was Jayne. This admission had made her laugh. It had to be Jayne - of course, who else?

Some time later, the credits rolled and Jennifer stirred carefully. Ronon was still asleep. She gazed fondly at him.

_He's breathing so quietly_, she thought.

Too quietly.

Something was not quite right.

Jennifer frowned and leaned closer.

Beads of sweat had formed on Ronon's face in a fine sheen. His face was as still as before, but now was unnaturally flushed. In fact, Jennifer realised that the Satedan had an considerably raised temperature. _How had I not noticed this earlier?_ She raged at herself, before her medical logic clicked into place and assured her that these symptoms were quite new.

But dangerous.

'Fever…' Jennifer muttered, immediately reaching for his neck pulse point.

It was extremely weak.

All the breath left Jennifer's body in shock.

Gulping for air, she pressed her comms link, trying to quell the rise of mounting panic so she could speak.

'Medical team to the east balconies, level ten…immediately!' she rapped out.

On a hunch, Jennifer raised Ronon's tunic to look at his recent wound. She gasped for the second time as many minutes.

The wound's serrated edges were significantly swollen and red - much more so than when she'd conducted Ronon's medical examination. Tentatively she pressed against it; Ronon moaned, his face creasing in pain although his eyes remained closed.

She tried again.

Jennifer could definitely sense a foreign body beneath her fingertips – something hard and round in the wound, just beneath Ronon's fevered skin. She was sure it hadn't been there before.

As the panic turned to terror, she spoke hurriedly over the comms link again.

'Colonel Sheppard, Teyla, report to the infirmary immediately. I repeat: Colonel Sheppard and Teyla report to the infirmary, please.'

* * *

**A/N:** These two can never have a simple date can they!? I do try…but the bunnies come and get me! Thanks SO much to all those who reviewed Chapter 3 after all this time and left me such encouraging comments. I normally aim to reply to them all individually, but RL ran away with me this week....so don't think they mean any less! J07 x

Beta-ed by **renisanz** with thanks.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Jennifer hurried alongside the gurney, shooting nervous glances at the Satedan. Fever gripped the big man causing him to drift in and out of consciousness moaning slightly as he did so. One of Ronon's hands pawed at his stomach wound, despite Jennifer's best efforts to discourage him from doing this. She also found herself trying to quieten his obvious distress with a persistent ssshhhing sound, but again to no effect.

'He's not even hearing me now,' she whispered to no one in particular as they at last swung into the infirmary.

Her territory.

Immediately Jennifer felt a little more at ease and began issuing instructions to the attending team of nurses. Within moments Ronon had been given medication to reduce his fever and manage the pain of his wound. Jennifer watched with relief as Ronon's face smoothed itself out and his body relaxed into what was now a drug-induced sleep.

'OK.' she indicated to the nurse waiting to activate the body scanner.

'What's going on?' Jennifer looked up at John Sheppard's clipped and worried tones. The colonel looked weary, his hair seemed even more tousled than usual and there were distinct shadows under his eyes.

'Ronon's wound has suddenly begun to cause him a lot of physical pain...' she began, urging the nurse to continue with the Satedan's scan. 'I think it's because there's something in the wound, although I don't know how that could be as I only checked him over yesterday.'

The brilliant green lines of the full body scan traced themselves carefully over Ronon's large frame. Jennifer gazed at the information generated on the nearby screen display.

'What...is that?' Teyla murmured from behind her. Jennifer started a little at her presence. Of course - she'd asked the Athosian to report to the infirmary with Colonel Sheppard. 'I don't know...' Jennifer said, 'but it sure as hell wasn't there yesterday...'

The sensor readout displayed a disc-like object about six centimetres in diameter. It was lodged in Ronon's abdomen at the site of the stomach wound that refused to heal normally. Jennifer cocked her head sideways as if to gain a better or different view and then looked straight on at it again. A dim memory of something, a mission report she'd read maybe? A rumour? Something? Something of what she was now seeing reminded her of...

'Dr McKay?' she clicked her earpiece on in one swift movement, 'please report to the infirmary. Immediately.'

'What is it, doctor?' Sheppard snapped to, alerted by the urgency in Jennifer Keller's tones.

'I think...' she muttered, 'I may have seen something like this...before somewhere...Colonel, Teyla, I need to do a full body scan on you both also? Right away, I'm afraid.'

'Why? What?' Sheppard continued over his shoulder as one of the nurses took his elbow and began steering him firmly towards another scanner. 'Doctor Keller?'

Running footsteps distracted her attention. Rodney McKay arrived, face flushed and breathing perhaps a little too heavily. He waved away with irritation one of the nurses who offered him a glass of water.

'What's the matter, Doctor? What's going on?' he managed between gasps. 'Where have you seen this before?' she dispensed with any usual pleasantries, practically hauling the scientist over to the readout display showing Ronon's physiology.

Jennifer watched intensely as curiosity, then amazement and then cold fear played across Rodney's sweating features. It was exactly what she had expected. Yet she hadn't quite anticipated the colour to drain so completely from his face, or for Rodney McKay to sag quite so weakly against the nearby wall with shock.

'It's looks like...' he rasped out, drawing a ragged breath, ' it looks just like one of those explosive tumours that Carson...' here Rodney stumbled over his old friend's name, ' that Carson removed from James Watson last year, but how? How can that be?'

'I thought so.' Jennifer bit her lip, 'I remember reading the report.'

'Sheppard? Teyla?' Rodney whirled on her, obviously frightened. Jennifer beckoned him over to the neighbouring body scanners. Sheppard and Teyla lay prone and tense as the machine translated information into the obligatory display.

'There...' Jennifer pointed to a smaller disc now apparent in Sheppard's abdomen, in a similar place to Ronon's, '...and there.' An even smaller disc was beginning to show higher up this time on Teyla's torso. Teyla's face was creased with confusion as she craned her neck to look at her own scanner display.

'I don't understand?' she demanded, 'I thought those devices were ancient technology and that Rodney and Radek made sure any remaining were found and deactivated after Carson...' Teyla trailed off, her voice barely audible. Sheppard tutted and sat up at this.

'How do we know those devices were ancient technology?' he was thinking aloud. This got everyone's attention. The Colonel shifted a little under such scrutiny. 'Seriously,' Sheppard explained his thoughts. 'We've all just been on a Wraith planet for a few weeks, with the memories of some of those weeks distinctly blurry...'

'Are you suggesting then that the Wraith captured us and implanted these ... these exploding discs？' Teyla's eyes were wide with disbelief and astonishment.

'Well, something happened out there that none of us can remember.' Sheppard replied, 'and there are more connections between the ancients and the Wraith than I expect we know about.'

Teyla nodded, gravely considering what her team leader was saying.

'I think you may have something there, John,' Rodney McKay wagged his finger at the Colonel. 'I wish I could remember what happened...' he added, clearly frustrated.

'I'll have to operate on Ronon, and you and Teyla, Colonel.' Jennifer cut in decisively at that point, already turning and thinking of the instructions to give her team. 'And I'll need to check you out, Doctor, you were on their last mission with them.'

'No.' Rodney's hand on her arm was a surprise. His face was grim and dark. This wasn't how Jennifer Keller had ever seen the normally effusive and at times overbearing scientist. She frowned at his reaction.

'What do you mean, Rodney, if I don't...'

'Look...' he paused as if struggling with the right words, 'Look...Jennifer...last time, when Carson operated...the device exploded and…'

'I know what happened, Rodney.' she confirmed, her tone more gentle this time. Rodney Mckay's stricken face told of deep-seated grief that still left its mark.

'No, what I mean is, we don't know how long we've got before one of those things goes off,' he began again. 'We need to get you, your team and them,..' he gestured desperately towards Ronon, Sheppard and Teyla, 'off Atlantis to a safe planet and operate there.'

'You're serious?' she stared at him wide-eyed. The implications of such a manoeuvre seemed enormous.

'Totally.' Rodney pointed at Sheppard's scan. 'These are different, look at the scanner - those devices are growing inside them, that's why you didn't pick them up yesterday, that's why Ronon only started feeling so bad today...so we can only assume that the potential explosion is growing exponentially as well.'

Immediately Jennifer turned and scrutinised the readout. Stunned, she realised that Rodney's observations were correct. Ominously correct in fact.

'He's making that up, right?' Sheppard croaked at her from the scan bed. Jennifer shook her head slowly, not quite believing the evidence before her very eyes. The disc in the colonel's abdomen had increased in size possibly by as much as one centimetre since the scan had been activated.

'We should go.' Sheppard told her quietly. 'Get Elizabeth to give the OK for an explosives team to come with us and get us moving, doctor, now.'

'OK.' she whispered, vaguely aware of Rodney McKay explaining the situation over his comm link to Dr Weir. His words were coming so fast they sounded like a succession of sharply fired bullets. 'Good to go.' he said to Jennifer crisply when the conversation ended. 'What do you need?'

'It's OK,' Jennifer straightened herself, squaring her shoulders slightly. This was her area of expertise after all and it seemed she would need every ounce of it to see this crisis through. For a fleeting moment she recalled the peaceful companionable evening that she and Ronon had been enjoying before his symptoms had overwhelmed him. With a hint of sad irony she wondered what the young doctor in the film 'Serenity' would have done in this situation. Mentally remonstrating with herself, Jennifer realised that although Simon Tam was naive in many ways, when it came to medicine he would have been completely in control. Just as Carson had been. Carson, who had been regarded so highly and fondly by these very people whose lives she was now charged with saving. Carson, who was still mourned deeply by these same people.

Not for the first time Jennifer Keller wondered if she could truly live up to the sprightly Scot's professional and personal legacy. Yet she knew she must. Elizabeth Weir had not hesitated in promoting her to Chief Medical Officer, had seen potential in her when she herself was plagued with doubts.

For Carson then. If nothing else.

'We're ready.' Jennifer heard her voice sounding confident and certain. As she spoke two nurses were already wheeling Ronon's gurney out towards the gateroom, with another two bringing up the rear carrying medical equipment bags.

'Where are we going?' she demanded of Colonel Sheppard whose long stride overtook her in an instant.

'PX7 3RT,' came the answer,'no Wraith, warm climate, flat area near the gate to set up a medical facility, friendly natives as far as we know.'

'OK.' she shifted her own bag into a more comfortable position and lengthened her stride to keep up. After all Ronon's life depended on it. To say nothing of Sheppard and Teyla's. Maybe even McKay's.

She could do this. She must.

* * *

**A/N:** Finished this fic in something of a breathless dash, so I just hope it hangs together. Really felt the need to finally get it completed - I did begin it in late 2007 after all! All remaining chapters have given the once over by **renisanz** with big thanks.

Hope you all enjoy! J07 x


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Ronon was floating. He felt extraordinarily light. Nothing but clouds below him. And it was warm. Nice. A long buried memory nagged playfully at the corners of his blurred mind.

He was a boy again. Maybe about ten. Floating in the healing warm waters of one of the lakes on the outskirts of his home town on Sateda. They had been hunting all day – he and his grandfather that is – and were washing the sweat and dirt from their tired bodies before returning home. The sky was a brilliant blue as the young Ronon gazed into its wide expanse, tracing the curved outlines of Sateda's two rising moons with his eyes.

'Ronon?' his grandfather's gruff tones from the shore line, 'Ronon, it's getting late, c'mon, your mother will be wondering where we are, you know how she worries.'

'Coming, grandfather!' the ten year old voice still hadn't found its deep timbre that his adult self would settle into, still hadn't lost its youthful enthusiasm . The sand felt soft and warm beneath Ronon's bare feet and his younger self smiled at this.

Energy flowed through his limbs as he sprang across the sand to where his grandfather waited. Later in adulthood, the muscles would turn hard like iron and expend energy only on the all encompassing need for survival. Survival against the greatest odds imaginable. Yet at this time, the time of this boyhood memory the path ahead to his parents' house was bathed in sunshine and the only discomfort was from the hunting spoils that he carried on his back. Even this was soothed away by the blaze of fall colours sweeping the hillside near his home. Reds, browns, yellows and the occasional patch of stubborn late summer green. It was just the beginning of the Fall.

And many years before the Wraith arrived.

'Ronon?' his mother was descending the steps from the house's front porch, with a soft smile on her face. 'Ronon?'

Images blurred. He tried to hold the focus on this scene, but it dissolved away to nothing. Nothing. Nothing but the ruins of his homeland remained in its place.

'Ronon?' Jennifer murmured as the Satedan moaned a little and his face twisted. She'd paused, her scalpel in mid air. 'Has he had enough anaesthetic, Marie? It will take more to really put him under, I think he has some resistance to it somehow.'

Marie nodded with understanding. The Satedan's unique physiology that seemed to have gifted him with an incredible tolerance for pain was well known amongst Jennifer's staff. It was likely that this also transferred itself to the effects of anaesthetic and similar medication.

'I'll give him just a little more.' Jennifer's senior nurse reassured her with a rueful smile.

'As soon as you get that thing out, put it in here.' Sheppard told her once again, indicating the large military issue containment chamber beside the gurney. He sat awkwardly in the chair nearest her. Jennifer could see he held and kneaded his midrift and was developing an unhealthy grey sheen on his forehead. The device was growing, pressing against Sheppard's internal organs and priming itself for detonation. She shivered and shook her head to refocus.

'I will, Colonel.' Jennifer confirmed, returning to her patient once more.

'Don't wait for a moment, Jennifer.' Sheppard continued.

She glanced back at him in surprise. Atlantis' chief military officer had never used her first name. She didn't even know he knew her first name.

'That's how...that's how Carson died. We didn't get this box to him soon enough...'

The grief was the same as Rodney's. Jennifer saw and felt it in an instant. And she didn't think Sheppard's account of events quite tallied with the filed report she'd read. Clearly Sheppard had shouldered some blame for Dr Beckett's death; Jennifer knew Carson would not have seen it this way at all. He had just been doing what was necessary to ensure everyone's safety.

'I won't.' she stated and nodded.

Ronon's skin was smooth and clean in the place where she needed to make the incision. Jennifer experienced a fleeting moment of regret that she may add to the fine lines and patches of other scar tissue so evident on the Satedan's torso. She resolved to leave no trace of the surgery she was about to perform as much as possible.

The disc was wedged determinedly into Ronon's muscle. Jennifer gently prised open the incision she'd made and teased at the offending object with her fingers. Gently, ever so gently, she pulled - trying not to traumatise the flesh around it more than was absolutely necessary. The disc had grown another two centimetres and was emitting a faint orange pulsating glow.. Slowly, with great care she transferred it to the containment box as Sheppard had instructed. The moment the bloodied disc came to rest inside, Sheppard slammed the containment box shut and waved forward the two waiting marines. Jennifer expelled the air she'd been holding in for far too long and accepted a forehead wipe from Marie gratefully.

'Now let's close this up,' she murmured, taking hold of the waiting sutures. Ronon had stopped showing any signs of discomfort and looked more peaceful that he had in some time.

'You're going to be all right,' Jennifer whispered to the Satedan even though he couldn't possibly hear her. Breathing out again with considerable relief, she began to smooth the sides of the incision neatly together ready for the sutures. There would be minimal scarring as she'd hoped; Jennifer allowed herself a moment of professional pride.

From nowhere a loud noise ripped through the quiet afternoon. Jerking their heads up, the whole medical team froze at the sound of a nearby explosion.

'Not a moment too soon,' Teyla's low tones broke the silence. The Athosian's tawny eyes were wide with trepidation at what lay ahead.

'And that was from inside the containment box!' Jennifer heard Rodney McKay saying as he followed the two marines back inside their makeshift medical facility with the now empty containment box.

'Really?' Sheppard queried, alarmed by this news. 'Everyone all right?'

'Fine sir,' the older of the marines was positioning the containment box by the next gurney as Jennifer indicated, 'but it sure was ready to go, started making a whining noise about five minutes before it blew.'

'OK, that's worth knowing.' Sheppard frowned. 'OK, Doc, do Teyla next.'

'But Colonel, your disc has grown...' Jennifer began to interject, her face flushing.

'John!' Teyla exclaimed simultaneously.

'No buts Doc, Teyla's up next. There's hardly any difference in the size of those things inside us, so I say she's up next.' Sheppard was resolute.

'Colonel..' Jennifer tried again, looking to Dr McKay for support.

'She's right, John,' the scientist followed her logic completely, 'I think...'

'I'm not arguing over this! There's no time!' Sheppard snapped angrily. Jennifer recoiled from the passion in the Colonel's grey eyes.

'I'll wait outside and far enough away just in case...Teyla's next, Dr Keller, proceed please.' The unusual formality of his last words convinced Jennifer that arguing was fruitless. She had heard of the affection and high esteem that Lt |Colonel John Sheppard held the Athosian leader and now she witnessed the depths of this loyalty first hand.

'Teyla?' she gestured to the other woman, while nodding at Sheppard. The Colonel held her gaze for a moment then backed away, pushing impatiently at the heavy canvas flaps of the meditent. Jennifer turned away and focused on Teyla.

Glancing at the slumbering Ronon, she satisfied herself that her first patient was stable and concentrated on her next. Teyla succumbed quickly to the anaesthetic and the disc came away easily under Jennifer's gentle probing.

'Not so big this one,' she said quietly to Marie who watched the disc being transferred to the containment box with intent focus.

'True,' the nurse agreed, almost absently, her attention with the containment box as it was wheeled out into the open. Jennifer prepared the sutures and waited for the obligatory explosion this time. It came, but this time was smaller and lasted perhaps a few seconds less.

'It's like taking out the discs primes them or speeds up the detonation sequence maybe.' Rodney mused, his eyes thoughtful.

'I don't think you'll get the chance to look at one then, not at this rate.' Jennifer surmised wryly.

'You're sure there wasn't one inside me?' the scientist sounded almost plaintive.

'Quite sure, Rodney,' she couldn't help but roll her eyes a little, ' but I will have to check again. After all I didn't spot these ones initially,'

The canvas tent flaps moved aside again as the two marines returned with the containment box. Jennifer thought they looked perhaps a little strained and tired around the edges – she couldn't be sure – did dealing with explosives often mean a life or death situation?.

'Doctor Keller?' Sheppard's voice in her ear was urgent and focused.

'Colonel?' she clicked on her comms link immediately.

'We have a problem.'

'What is it, John?' Rodney McKay cut in, suddenly attentive.

'I can hear that whine we heard before...it's coming from inside me.'

'Oh no...' Jennifer let the words slip out as a look of horror settled on her face. 'Oh no.'


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

'Forget it, Doc.' Sheppard rapped at Jennifer through her comms link. 'I need to get as far away from here as possible, stay right there!'

'Colonel!' Jennifer felt the panic rising in her voice, 'get back in here, there's still time...'

'You and I know that's not true, Jennifer, now let...me...go...'

Over their earpieces, Jennifer and Rodney could hear Sheppard grunting and moving with great effort.

'John!' Rodney exclaimed. The anguish on his face stabbed at Jennifer.

'C'mon!' she decided, collecting the necessary instruments. 'C'mon, Rodney, we can get to him in time, you said we had about five minutes right, before the disc blows? I'll perform the surgery out there...' she waved her arm in Sheppard's general direction.

'But...' Rodney started, 'what about anaesthetic and...?'

'C'mon,Rodney!' the steely determination in her voice caused him to flinch a little. She even surprised herself. 'We have to try! You two...' she addressed the two marines, 'bring that.'

After a cursory look at her previous two patients, Atlantis' CMO was gone running across the grassy area outside the medi-tent to Sheppard's position.

'Where is he?'Jennifer scanned the surrounding shrubs and bushes with mounting alarm.

'There!' Rodney pointed. Their pounding footsteps alerted the Colonel who turned and shakily drew his pistol.

'Back off!' he snarled, but the effort this cost was obvious in the exhausted shadows on the Colonel's face and the way he held his mid-rift in agony. ' Save yourselves!'

Jennifer and Rodney paused at the vehemence in Sheppard's tone. The pistol in the Colonel's hand was slipping. Sweating profusely, he was losing strength fast as the tumour inside him threatened to overwhelm once and for all.

'Grab him!' she shouted the moment the pistol barrel no longer pointed in their direction and wavered unsteadily. Jennifer felt a surge of gratitude at the two marines who took her at her word and pinned the Colonel to the ground in one smooth series of efficient movements. Straight away she reached into the depths of her medi-kit.

'Ok.' Jennifer readied some local anaesthetic as Rodney unceremoniously lifted Sheppard's shirt. 'Colonel?' but Sheppard was beginning to moan and writhe just as Ronon had. 'This may hurt.'

'Be quick Jennifer,' Rodney McKay was panting, 'I can hear it.'

She cut into Colonel Sheppard's skin, aware that she had not really administered enough anaesthetic. This was borne out by the hiss issued from between clenched teeth by her erstwhile patient.

'Hold him still.' she urged the two marines. One incision. Precise and straight. Then a second. At a perfect right angle to the second. Someone groaned. Not Sheppard. Rodney. The scalpel slid under the neat round disc. Some movement. The blade slithered beneath slick red blood.

'I can hear it...' Rodney McKay muttered again in a low voice. A monotonous whine that was getting louder. More prevalent. And more insistent.

'Got it!' Jennifer announced as the disc slid free into her palm. It winked an orange glow at her as had the one inside Ronon.

'I'll have that, Doc.' in a single instant, the disc had gone as the older marine took from her outstretched palm. She watched in amazement as he stood and launched it into the trees with the full force of his body weight. 'Too late for the box!' he shouted, diving back towards them and shielding Colonel Sheppard as best as possible with his own body.

Jennifer buried her head in her arms at the sound of cracking and splintering wood and rock thundered through the air above her head. She screwed her eyes shut, dimly aware of a tremendous flare of bright light above them. The atmosphere seemed to hum, whistle and darkened with flying debris for the longest few seconds Jennifer had ever experienced.

'Everyone ok?' the marine was saying the words, but she could only just hear them. Jennifer pointed to her ears and shook her head. 'It's the explosion!' she heard, 'you'll be OK, how's Colonel Sheppard?'

She glanced down at her patient. He was pale and motionless.

'John!' Rodney's urgency jogged her out of her stunned reverie.

'He has a pulse, if weak.' Jennifer reported, 'and it looks like the wound is still clean, thanks to you...' she looked up at the marine's uniform 'Sergeant Taylor, but we need to get him back to the medi-tent right away.'

'Yes, Ma'am.' came the immediate reply. Jennifer shot the sergeant a furtive look as he and his companion lifted Colonel Sheppard onto a stretcher carefully. Had she imagined the new tone of respect in the man's voice or was he just following orders and doing his job? Hard to tell, she concluded, but good to imagine all the same.

'Good work, Jennifer.' Rodney smiled at her kindly, 'good work.'

'Thank you. Rodney, thank you.' Jennifer Keller rotated her shoulders to ease the tension there and managed a small smile in return.

**Epilogue:**

Much later, Jennifer slipped away from the medi-tent and sniffed the evening air outside. It was summer on this planet. Long twilight shadows stretched across the grass beneath her now bare feet and the sweet aroma floating on the breeze reminded Jennifer of her father's garden. She smiled with some sadness. It would be many months before she saw him again and even then she would not be able to tell him anything about Atlantis. Such was the life Jennifer Keller had chosen. Always just never quite belonging anywhere and never quite at ease.

She half listened to the sounds from behind the canvas structure nearby. Sergeant Taylor and his fellow marine were preparing them all some food. Dr Weir had sent more supplies and instructed that they all remain for a few days in case of any more 'explosive incidents' and because she felt the whole team might enjoy a little rest and recuperation in such beautiful surroundings.

Indeed, Jennifer's three patients were healing well. Ronon and Teyla had regained consciousness. Ronon immediately complaining of being famished, which had incited tart rejoinders from Rodney McKay. At this point, Jennifer recognised the patterns of their customary banter and had retreated for a few moments' peace to collect her thoughts. Sheppard was still sleeping; his body had undergone greater trauma in some ways. However, Marie was in attendance and Jennifer felt secure in leaving the Colonel to her experienced care.

Green hills rolled away from the medi-tent and the Stargate. Green hills nestling underneath a wide pink and orange sky. Jennifer regarded it with a vague interest – was it this colour because of the twin suns setting in the distance, or was it this colour anyway? She'd probably never know.

Quiet footsteps behind her.

Ronon.

He was walking carefully so as not to put undue pressure on his sutures.

'Hey.' She mumbled, flushing furiously under Ronon's warm gaze.

'Hey.' He smiled gently at her.

'How are you feeling?' at least Jennifer had something to focus her thoughts on.

'A little sore, but much better, thanks to you.' the smile widened to a grin.

'Did you admit to some pain just then?' she teased, unable to resist the temptation of this, then added shyly, 'And you're welcome, by the way.'

'Thought I'd better.' he offered her his arm as he'd done before. It felt like a million lifetimes ago. 'C'mon, let's eat.'

'OK.' Jennifer replied, not knowing what else to say.

'I'm sorry...' Ronon seemed to be stumbling over what he wanted to say and she glanced up at him in surprise.

'For what?'

'Not the way I wanted our...date...to turn out.' his grin was sheepish this time. Yet his eyes were still warm, with a hint of something deeper that made her flush all over again.

'Just another day in the Pegasus Galaxy.' Jennifer replied gaily and tucked herself under Ronon's arm this time, wondering at her daring.

'Can we try again...,' Ronon continued, 'very soon?'

'Of course.' she delivered the words lightly, but inside her insides were flipping and dancing with delight.

Ronon chuckled and steered her towards the medi-tent.

The marines had set various tables together into one long one suitable for dining. It was already laden with dishes, cutlery and steaming plates of food, plus the whole team had already taken their places. As she and Ronon entered, everyone rose to their feet and turned towards her in respectful salute.

'Oh.' was all she managed, a lump forming in the back of her throat. They were all there, even Colonel Sheppard. Jennifer felt tears prick her eyelids as the applause rose, then swelled and slowly died away again.

'We weren't going to start without you, Jennifer.' Sheppard told her warmly, indicating she should sit at the head of the impromptu table.

'Thanks, Colonel.' she slid into the chair Ronon offered her as the whole party took their own seats again.

Sheppard lifted his glass. 'To friends, colleagues, not being blown up...' laughter at this round the table ' and...' he paused, 'to the best damn doctor in the Pegasus galaxy!'

Cheers and thumps on the table ensued as Ronon squeezed her hand. Through the mist of the tears that threatened to truly make an appearance this time, Jennifer swore some of the cheering and whooping had a distinctly Scottish tone. Then out of the corner of her eye Jennifer glimpsed a watching figure through the open medi-tent door. A man…on the edge of the clearing...he was smiling...and then…then he was gone. She blinked.

'Are you OK?' Ronon asked her softly.

Jennifer smiled up at him.

'Yes, yes I am.'

Just once more she stole a look out through the door. Nothing there. Except the periphery leading to the Stargate.

With her on the inside.

** END**

**

* * *

A/N: **OK, so I hope this suffices! I have a mind to try another chapter of 'The Torren Effect' while the muse takes me, but the best laid plans and all that...best give a disclaimer considering how long THIS fic took to finish! J07 x


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